William Harris "Bill" Weatherl

William Harris Weatherl was born in Miller, Oklahoma on March 27, 1933 to Otis and Kathleen Baker Weatherl. He was one of 12 children and the sixth of nine brothers and sisters to survive to adulthood. Early life in the Weatherl household in the Hill Country of Southeast Oklahoma included farming, tending livestock and plenty of hard work for a large family of humble means in the 1930’s. William learned much about life from older brothers Bruce, Cliff, A.J. and Hollis in the early days. But perhaps the most important influence came from the presence and loving guidance of his dear mother, Kathleen. Her passion for gardening, cooking and serving the family with delicious, home-cooked meals were fond attributes which Bill himself would deeply incorporate into his own life story. The strength and wisdom of Kathleen were also passed on to Bill’s Sisters Anita, Cora and Ella who were very close to Bill throughout their lives. Bill and younger brother Huey had a particularly close bond, sticking together over the years as the youngest of six boys. In a very real way the hardships and struggles of life on the Weatherl Farm brought the family close together, built strong character, and forged bonds which would last a lifetime. After attending public schools in Tushka, OK Bill continued working on the farm to support the family. As time and harvest seasons dictated, Bill also travelled with his father and brothers to pick cotton in surrounding areas in Southern Oklahoma and North Texas from the late 1940’s through 1951. He often told stories of these times, the people they met and lessons learned over the years. Bill enlisted in the Air Force in Dallas, TX during January, 1952 and served honorably in Korea. Duties in the Air Force included time in the DMZ as a Military Police along with training and acquisition of skills in a variety of areas like fire arms, security and plumbing. He was discharged at Tinker Air Field near Oklahoma City December 16, 1955. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Tulsa to find employment following in the footsteps of older brothers Bruce and Hollis. It was about this time he met his first true love Martha Jordan. They were joined in matrimony at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa on October 18, 1957, were subsequently married for 25 years and remained friends for the rest of his life. After working for a short time at Douglas Aircraft in 1956, he found his calling and a 50 year career as a plumbing contractor. In 1990, after many years as an independent Master Plumber, he went to work for Ralph Morrison at Morrison Plumbing Company on East Admiral Drive. A few years later, following Mr. Morrison’s death, he became owner/operator of Morrison Plumbing until retirement in 2006. Bill instilled a love of life and belief in strong family values with his four children Terry, Mike, Brian, and Chris. Despite humble beginnings, which started at the Weatherl homestead in Miller, OK back in the 1930’s, Bill’s loving heart, strong character and solid work ethic proved priceless gifts to his 4 kids who all grew up to achieve college education and successful careers of their own. Those who knew Bill in recent years often heard him speak of his children as his ‘claim to fame’. Bill spent much of his time in recent years in the loving companionship of Ms. Dolly Rapp. She was a profound inspiration, partner, and one of the greatest blessings in his life over the past 10 years. In addition to 4 children, Bill is survived by nine grand-children and one great grand-daughter: Mike Jr, Robin, Ben, Elessa, Kelly, Maura, Evan, Jessica, Blake, and baby Violet. Beyond family, other passions of Bill’s included St. Louis Cardinals Baseball, classic cars, gardening, home cooking, and raising livestock. Bill is also survived by Brother Cliff, his wife Bobby and their family of Abilene, Texas; Brother Huey, wife Mary and their family of Houston; Sister-in-Laws Lucille and Raedel of Owasso, OK. Niece Valerie and Nephew Lewis who also live in the Tulsa Area loved their Uncle Bill dearly and were a constant source of love and support over the course of many years. He will be greatly missed as a father, brother, husband, uncle and friend to many who were privileged to know him. Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, June 27, 2014, at Calvary Cemetery Chapel, Tulsa, OK. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bill's memory to either of these hospice providers: New Century of Tulsa, 6666 South Sheridan Road, Ste. 102, Tulsa, OK 74133 or Clarehouse, 7616 S Mingo Rd, Tulsa, OK 74133. FITZGERALD IVY CHAPEL 918-585-1151

William Harris "Bill" Weatherl

March 27, 1933 - June 21, 2014